Search Engine Optimization and the Republican Party
I have posted about this before, but does anyone know exactly how and why anti/negative news stories against Democratic party officerholders and candidates consistently dominate websites like Google News?
Right now, the Virginia stories appear at the top of Google News, followed closely by how well (according to Fox News) that it and Trump did in the SOTU last night, and the "news" about Elizabeth Warren's Texas bar registration form. Meanwhile, the House Intelligence Committee's renewed investigation into Trump and Russia is sandwiched in between on Google News.
By contrast, CNN is principally focusing on the House Intelligence Committee news and giving a short reference to the other stuff that seems to dominate Google News.
I have a wee bit of understanding about search engine optimization (or SEO) and how it can be used to manipulate search results on the internet. The Republicans and/or Fox (and probably the Russians) CLEARLY have mastered SEO. This is yet another way, besides social media, that any or all of them can influence thinking and shape the debate.
My basic question is whether anyone can do anything to override the advantage that SEO seems to give the Republican party? Can the Democratic Party itself focus on this or can this be done at the grassroots level?